The Truth That Lies Beneath
by Graysonian
Summary: Two Peacekeepers in fresh black uniforms stepped forward and handcuffed our hands behind us. "Katniss Everdeen, Gale Hawthorne, you have the right to remain silent." "Katniss Everdeen, Gale Hawthorne..." President Snow said, taking his time and straightening his collar. "May the odds be ever in your favor."


**Pre-Story background: This takes place just after the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy and before Catching Fire, so none of the events of Catching Fire or Mockingjay have happened. **

**~Enjoy~**

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I held my breath as I took aim and pulled the bow string back. I eyed the fawn I was about to shoot at and released the arrow that glided swiftly through the air and pierced the fawn. "I got one," I said to my hunting partner, Gale, who was attaching a rope to a branch for a trap. "How many lunches do you need? You already have what, 20 rabbits?" He replied playfully.

"I only have three," I retorted, though a hint of a smile crept onto my face. "It's times like this I missed. Hunting in the woods, just you and me, doing anything we wanted." I stared up through the trees, blinded by the light of the sun.

"Missed?" He questioned, looking up at me for a brief moment from his trap.

"In The Games. The woods were... Almost sad, every leaf seemed like it was dripping with the blood of the dead tributes." I said as I turned back to my bow and put another arrow on the string.

"It was the same here. Well, not the blood part, but the tress just didn't seem alive without you around them." He said, pulling the final rope through for the trap.

"I guess they missed me," I replied.

Suddenly, bursting through the trees, about 60 Peacekeepers marched quickly around us, confiscating our bows and other weapons before I could do or say anything. Two Peacekeepers in fresh black uniforms stepped forward and handcuffed our hands behind us. "Katniss Everdeen, Gale Hawthorne, you have the right to remain silent."

I turned desperately to Gale, who was surprisingly calm, for reassurance. He mouthed the words "It's okay" and they were met with a violent and hard slap to his face.

Gale fell to the ground, severe anger and pain showing in his eyes, though his mouth was sealed shut. A Peacekeeper pulled him to his knees and five additional Peacekeepers gathered around him. they started raining him with fists and boots.

"No!" I screamed with a shrill voice. A tall Peacekeeper landed a punch on my jaw and I was sent sprawling to the ground. "Katniss!" Gale yelled, though he was quickly silenced with a kick to the stomach. "No more words from either of of you!" The Peacekeeper in black commanded.

Two Peacekeepers pulled gale up onto his feet as the two others pulled me up as well. The bleeding ad bruised face showed little sign of pain, though I could tell he was doing his best to hide it. The small army of Peacekeepers dragged and shoved us through the woods and back through the fence surrounding district twelve.

They marched us through the streets as looks of surprised and shock erupted from everyone around us. Gale simply looked straight ahead, his grey eyes showing no emotion. Once we had reached the center of town outside of The Justice Building, they chained us to two metal poles on a platform as a crowd started forming.

All but six Peacekeepers left to urge everyone from their homes. Once practically the entire town had gathered, the Peacekeepers returned and one of the two in black stepped forward to the microphone. "Let these two rebels be an example to all of you for that defiance of the Capitol brings."

Two hard faced Peacekeepers next to either of us pulled their rifles up and held them to our heads.

From the crowd, I saw Peeta hoist Prim up onto his shoulders. Her tear stained eyes looked into mine, showing pure fear. My quiet little sister's face showed more fear than I had ever seen her show my entire life, even when she was reaped for the Hunger Games and I took her place.

With quiet, slow movements, she pressed the three middle fingers of her left hand to her lips and held them out. One by one, the rest of the crowd did the same. Even young Posy held her hand out to her older brother.

Instantly, the Peacekeeper next to Gale dropped his gun's aim and pulled the trigger, shooting him in the leg.

An instant later, just as my mouth was opening to scream, the other Peacekeeper smashed the end of his rifle into my ankle, breaking it in more places than I can count.

Gale clenched his teeth and I let out a cry of pain.

Hazelle was pushing and shoving her way through the crowd and my mother was holding a weeping Prim in a tight hug. Peeta simply stared at the Peacekeepers, fists clenched, rage filling his eyes. I had nevre seen him so angry, not even at the Capitol. I was pulling desperately on the chains, pointlessly trying to free myself. The crowd was almost rioting by now, and the Peacekeepers were doing nothing about it.

I felt the cuffs around my wrists pop ope and I tried to pull free. My resistance was met with four hands grabbing my arms. I struggled, though the grip of the rough, gloved hands only tightened and they dragged me backwards. I let out cracked, short scream from the pain in my ankle. I quickly silenced myself, seeing the crowd fade away from view.

"PEETA!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. He turned immediately to catch a few last glimpses of me. "Take care of them!" I yelled, getting smacked in the face with the butt end of a gun as a final warning. Our half-limp bodies were dragged through two large wooden doors, and we were met by a familiar face on the other side.

"President... Snow..." I said between cringes of pain.

"Katniss Everdeen, Gale Hawthorne..." He said, taking his time and straightening his collar. "May the odds be ever in your favor."

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**Comments much appreciated :) Thanks,**

**~Toxic~**


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